Top Safety Schools by State [Infographic]

What is a Safety School?

Every spring, millions of prospective college students across the country stress over three words: “Accepted,” “Waitlisted,” and “Rejected.” While many community colleges and for-profit universities offer open admissions (no need to apply—you’re in), most brand-name colleges have a formal application process and reject thousands of applicants each year.

As a result, prospective college students often apply to several different schools, including at least one “safety school.” A safety school is typically a school where the particular student is very likely to get accepted and serves as a “safety valve” should the student’s top choices not pan out. It’s important to note that the concept of a safety school is very much dependent on the student. One student’s safety school may be an difficult school for another to get into.

Our Methodology

We sought to identify the most popular safety school for the average student in each state. We identified three key factors that could indicate whether a school is a popular safety school for in-state residents—acceptance rate, yield, and in-state percentage—and gave each equal weight. We also excluded any schools with an undergraduate enrollment of fewer than 5,000 students. All statistics are from 2012-2013 IPEDS data.

The factors:

1. Acceptance Rate – This is the percentage of applicants that are accepted. For our rankings, we assume that a higher acceptance rate means the school is more likely to be a safety school, because the school is a safer bet for the average student.

2. Yield – This is the percentage of accepted students that actually end up enrolling in the school. For our rankings, we assume that a lower yield means the school is more likely to be a safety school because, when given the chance to enroll, many students end up choosing another school.

3. In-State Percentage – This is the percentage of the student body made up of in-state residents. For our rankings, we assume that a higher in-state percentage means the school is more likely to be a safety school for state residents. This also helps us isolate colleges that mostly attract state residents.

The Bottom Line

Applying to a safety school (or two) can help to alleviate some of the stress that comes with the college admissions process. It’s also a good idea to diversify your applications and include a good mix of reach schools, target schools, and safety schools. Remember, just because a college might be a safety school doesn’t mean it’s not a good school. What someone else considers a safety school may turn out to be the best fit for you.